Self-contained hot water space heater



Oct. 4, 1966 A. o. BRUSVEN 3,277,275

SELF-CONTAINED HOT WATER SPACE HEATER Filed Dec. 2, 1964 Hmos O. Brusven INVENTOR.

H gen-1' United States Patent 3,277,275 SELF-CONTAINED HOT WATER SPACE HEATER Amos 0. Brusven, 1032 Williams Ave., Woodburn, Oreg. Filed Dec. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 415,385 1 Claim. (Cl. 219-365) This invention relates to space heaters, and more particularly to a hot water space heater which is a selfcontained, portable unit.

Hot water heating systems are used extensively to provide an etficien-t, economical source of clean heat for the rooms of homes and other buildings. However, hot water heating systems employed heretofore have involved extensive plumbing throughout the building to interconnect a central source of hot water to a plurality of space radiators distributed throughout the rooms of the building. Thus, although the cost of such installations in new buildings is reduced somewhat by proper planning and integration with the building structure during erection of the latter, as opposed to the extensive reconstruction required in existing buildings, both forms of installation involve substantial expense.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a self-contained hot water space heater which includes a closed water circulation circuit requiring no external plumbing.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a self-contained hot water space heater which is light in weight and therefore portable, whereby to be capable of installation in any existing building, either as a free standing unit or by installation between conventionally spaced wall studs.

Still another important object of the present invention is the provision of a self-contained hot water space heater in which the circulation of water is achieved either by thermosyphon action or by mechanical pumping.

A further important object of this invention is the provision of a selfcontained hot water space heater which is of simplified constniction for economical manufacture.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. '1 is a view in front elevation, partly broken away to disclose details of internal construction, of a self-contained hot Water space heater embodying the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the lines 22 in FIG. 1, with additional parts being broken away to disclose details of construction; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified form of self-contained hot water space heater embodying the features of this invention.

In its basic concept, the self-contained hot water space heater unit of the present invention involves the circulation of water, heated in a chamber of the unit, through a vertically elongated radiator to a water collecting chamber from whence the partially cooled water is returned to the heating chamber. Air is forced through the open mesh grid of the radiator, which has been heated by the passage of water therethrough, and the resulting heated air is ejected into the space to be heated.

The self-contained hot water space heater of this invention is a unitary structure which may be disposed as a free standing unit within a space to be heated, or it may be installed between conventionally spaced studs of a wall defining the space to be heated.

Referring first to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heater includes a housing formed of side walls and 12, a top wall 14 and back wall 16. Within 3,277,275 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 the lower end of the housing is a heating chamber 18 adapted to be filled with water to be heated. Extending through the top wall of the heating chamber is the lower end of a vertically elongated radiator 20. The radiator may be of the type used on automobile vehicles having water cooled engines. Radiators of this type comprise a multiplicity of spaced Water tubes supporting cooling fins and forming a multiplicity of air passages around the tubes and fins. The open bottom ends of the water tubes communicate with the interior of the heating chamber 18, for the passage of the heated water upwardly through the tubes, to effect heating of the tubes and fins.

The upper ends of the radiator water tubes comm-unicate with the bottom end of a water collecting chamber 22. The upper end of this chamber is provided with an opening removably closed by the pressure cap 24 which functions to relieve the water system of steam pressure in the event of malfunctioning of the heater system by which the water is heated.

The bottom end of the collecting chamber 22 communicates with the upper end of the water return conduit 26, the lowerend of which is connected to the inlet of a water pump 28, preferably of the centrifugal type. The outlet side of the pump communicates with the discharge conduit 30 which extends downward through the upper end of the heating chamber 18 and terminates at its open lower end adjacent the bottom of the heating chamber.

The pump 28 is driven by an electric motor 32 which, as will be understood, is connected to a convenient source of electric supp-1y, for example the usual house supply, through the control relay of a space thermostat located appropriately in the room to be heated. This circuit of the electric motor also preferably includes an 0n-ofl switch.

One or more electric heater elements 34 and a control thermostat 36 there-for extends downward through the upper end of the heating chamber 18. As will be understood, theheater element functions to heat the water contained in the heating chamber, and the thermostat serves to control this heating to a predetermined degree. The heater element thus is connected to a convenient source of electric supply through the con-trol relay 38 of the thermostat and, preferably, also through an on-off control switch.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that, upon activation of the pump 28 through energization of the drive motor 32, water in the heating chamber 18 will be forced upwardly through the radiator 20 into the collecting chamber 22, and thence downward through the return conduit 26, pump 28 and discharge conduit 30 to the heating chamber.

By utilizing a centrifugal pump, wherein communication is maintained at all times between the return conduit 26 and the discharge conduit 30, circulation of heated water from the heating chamber 18 upwardly through the radiator 20 and back to the heating chamber, may be effected by thermosyphon action, without operating the pump. This mode of operation is suitable, for example, during the warmer days when less than full heating capacity is required.

The open mesh radiator 20 serves to transfer heat from the heated water circulating through it to air which is blown outwardly through the radiator into the space to be heated. -In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the supply of air to be heated is drawn from the upper level of the space to be heated inwardly through the inlets of the pair of squirrel cage fans 40 mounted on the partition wall 42 of the housing. The discharge ends of the fans communicate downwardly through openings in the partition wall into the space 44 behind the radiator. Thus, air is discharged under pressure from the fans into said space and then forced outwardly through the radiator where it is heated before it is ejected into the space to be heated.

In the embodiment illustrated, the rearward side of the air chamber 44 behind the radiator preferably is defined by the angularly disposed baffle plate 46 which restricts the air space progressively downward, thus to provide substantially uniform emission of warmed air outwardly over the entire surface of the radiator.

The fans 40 are driven by an electric motor 48 from the available source of electric supply. The circuit of the motor preferably is controlled by the relay of the room thermostat, as will be understood, and also preferably includes an on-otf switch.

The front endof the unit preferably is closed removably by a panel (not shown) provided with openings in the areas of the fans and radiator, to afford the proper passage of air. The portion 16' of the rear wall between the upper side of the heating chamber 18 and the partition wall 42 preferably is provided as a removable panel, for convenience in servicing the pump and heater assemblies.

The heating unit described hereinbefore is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to be mounted between the conventionally spaced studs 50 of a wall defining the space to be heated. The front portion of the unit projects from the wall surface 52, and the rear side of the unit is spaced inwardly from the opposite wall surface 54 which defines an adjacent room. It will be apparent, however, that the heater unit may be employed as a free standing unit within the space to be heated, supported upon the floor and spaced from the walls.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the squirrel cage fans of FIGS. 1 and 2 are replaced by one or more blade fans 60 each driven by an electric motor. The assembly is supported by the bracket 62 extending between the side walls of the housing. The partition wall 42 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is omitted, as is the baflie plate 46. One or more blade fans 64, each driven by an electric motor, is supported by appropriate brackets 66 behind the radiator, for forcing air forwardly through the radiator 20. Air is supplied to these fans 64 from the upper region of the space to be heated, by means of the intake fan 60.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the housing is shown mounted between conventionally spaced wall studs 50 and projecting from the opposite sides of the wall. The removable back panel 16' of the housing is provided with a plurality of openings, illustrated by the louvers 68. Thus, air is also supplied to the fans 64 from the room defined by the wall surface 54. The front panel 70 also is perforated in the areas of the fan and radiator, as illustrated by the louvers 72.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3 there is shown a valved outlet 74 at the bottom of the heating chamber 18, for use in draining the water system, if desired. The water may be drained either into a pan, or it may be drained through a hose connected to the outlet.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a simplified, portable and self-com tained hot water space heater which may be installed with speed and facility in any area desired to be heated. The self-contained unit requires no external plumbing, and utilizes the conventional house supply of electric potential. The unit operates efficiently to provide an adequate source of clean heat, the magnitude of which may be controlled automatically. Circulation of hot water through the radiator may be effected either by thermosyphon action or by mechanical pumping, as dictated by heat requirernents.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the size of the unit, the arrangement of parts, and other details of construction described hereinbefore. For example the number and size of heating elements may be varied as desired, to provide heating units of varying output capacities. In units of small output capacity, the pump assembly may be omitted and the circulation of water through the system accomplished s01e-' ly by thermosyphon action. Two of the units illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be placed back to back as an integral unit and mounted between wall studs for heating adjacent rooms. These and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which it may be used, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A self-contained hot water space heater comprising (a) a vertically elongated housing,

(b) a water heating chamber in the housing adjacent the bottom thereof,

(c) heater means in the water heating chamber for heating water therein,

(d) Water radiator means extending vertically in the housing and communicating at its lower end with the upper end of the water heating chamber, the radiator means having transverse openings therethough for the passage of air, the depth of the radiator means being less than the depth of the housing, whereby to provide a space in the housing behind the radiator means,

(e) a. water collecting chamber in the housing above and communicating with the upper end of the radiator means,

(f) water return conduit means communicating. at its upper end with the collecting chamber and at its lower end with the heating chamber adjacent the bottom thereof,

(g) a centrifugal water pump in the housing interposed between the ends of the water return conduit means, the pump having an inlet communicating with the collecting chamber and an outlet communicating with the heating chamber, and

(h) fan means in the housing above the collecting chamber and operable to draw airinto the housing through openings adjacent the upper end of said housing and to force said air downward behind the radia tor means and thence outward through the transverse openings in the radiator means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,322,761 11/1919 Clark. 1,617,050 2/ 1927 Hamilton. 2,203,425 6/ 1940 Welch 219-3 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner. 

